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Regiis Imperatoris Naval College
The Regiis Imperatoris Naval College (Emperor's Royal Naval College in Low Gothic), also referred to as "The Royal" by naval officers, is one of the most prestigious of the Imperial Navy's initial officer training schools. Located on Terra, it is part of the wider system of naval colleges that exist throughout the Imperium to train fleet officers. The majority of its cadets are scions of the great noble houses that vie for power on the ancient Imperial capital. While the Regiis Imperatoris Naval College also accepts many cadets from other famous noble families throughout the Imperium, commoners are rarely able to get in and only a small handful of those with no noble blood have ever studied there. Thus, besides having the reputation of being among the most prestigious and rigorous naval schools, it also is known for elitism. The Regiis Imperatoris College is also one of the two naval training institutions on Terra, the other being the Navy's staff and war college, the Imperial College of Fleet Strategy. History The college can trace back its history as one of the earliest of the Imperial Space Fleet's training establishments, having been in existence since at least the 30th Millennium. While it has undergone several name changes throughout its history, the Regiis Imperatoris Naval College has always served the purpose of being an officer commissioning school. The Imperial College of Fleet Strategy was established later as a staff college to prepare senior officers to become admirals. Over the millennia that have passed since then "The Royal" established a reputation for itself as the Imperial Navy's most prestigious initial officer training school, being the alma mater of countless officers that went on to become distinguished admirals, naval engineers, ace pilots. Most of its cadets originate from the élite of the Imperium, the great aristocratic families that populate Terra and those from beyond. Cadets underwent a rigorous and grueling three-year course, holding the rank of midshipmen, to become commissioned as ensigns of the Imperial Navy. During the Horus Heresy cadets remained loyal to the Emperor and took part in the defense of Terra from his traitorous forces, for which the college was granted the honor of being named Regiis Imperatoris (Emperor's Royal). That further served to enhance its reputation as the foremost of the Navy's officer schools. Traditionally the director of the naval college has always been a Lord-Captain. Location The main campus of the Naval College is located on Terra. Besides that, an old Emperor-class Battleship, Imperator, remains in orbit of the planet as part the home fleet but serves as a training ship for cadets. Entry Entry into the Regiis Imperatoris College is highly competitive but is theoretically open to any Imperial subject between the ages of 18–27, and while in its early years those with no aristocratic lineage had a good chance of getting accepted, by the 41st Millennium very rarely does anyone besides nobility get to study there. To even be considered, an applicant had to take in examination in a variety of subjects, including history, astronomy, and mathematics, as well as physical strength. Out of those that scored high, a group would be selected into the college. By M41 family influence played a major role in ensuring acceptance, and could even potentially be enough to overcome low scores on the entry examination. Curriculum Upon getting accepted the cadets spend the first year undergoing a program of "militarization," getting used to military customs and living in general, with the second and third year focusing more on the actual naval skills that would be related to their careers. Among the subjects taught at The Royal are naval history, navigation, mathematics, voidsmanship, and science and technology to give the cadets a better understanding of the future ships they would be serving aboard. Live drills and training exercises were carried out aboard the battleship Imperator. Physical training and combat sports, such as marksmanship and different martial arts, were also taught to the cadets. Different courses were issued to the cadets depending on which field they specialized in – Naval History, Engineering, Navigation, or Strategic Studies. By the end of their three years, cadets would have both practical experience of serving aboard a warship as well as classroom training in their preferred specialty and in some others. A final examination at the end of their three years determined the exact entry rank (ensign or lieutenant) that the newly minted junior officers would be commissioned as, along with their first assignment or posting. Success at the final exam also heavily weighed on their possibility of early promotion. Category:Imperial Navy